Rexford bridge construction to begin

Rexford — Construction is set to begin on the Rexford bridge on April 11th, according Bryan Viggiani, the public information officer for the state department of transportation.

Over 22,000 motor vehicles over the Mohawk daily, creating a congested area during the morning and afternoon rushes.

In the coming weeks (and months) of construction,Viggiani, said “We’re still finalizing zoning plans. . . but we’re on track to begin heavy construction shortly.”

The construction project will replace the Rexford bridge, which carries Route 146 over the Mohawk River. In order to do this, the new bridge will be built to the west of the original bridge, with the current bridge remaining open throughout construction. The new bridge will have four lanes, to accommodate for the high traffic volumes of the morning and afternoon rushes.

Replacing the current traffic signal at the intersection between Route 146, Williams Street and Aqueduct Road will be a roundabout. There will also be repairs on the three-quarter-mile roadway between the bridge and Riverview Road, according to a release sent out by the department.

Construction plans also include adding a bicycle path along Route 146 and connecting it to the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail. The project has been under way for the past several years. Governor Cuomo announced the contract award with Tioga Construction of Utica and AECOM of New York City for 32.5 million last August. The estimated completion time of the project is October 10, 2017, according to the department of transportation’s website.